Why Do Nurse Practitioners Need Malpractice Insurance?

Things happen. Mistakes may get made or a patient (or their family) may simply want justification for something that didn’t go as expected. Either way, the nurse practitioner may be singled out as the one to blame, or a claim could also be filed against an entire medical team.

Ultimately, you want to protect yourself and your career. With a nurse practitioner med mal policy, you’ll get a team to fight for your best interests and protect you from the expenses of litigation.

You should consider having your own insurance policy to protect your interests. Even if your employer provides coverage, here are some important things to consider:

Protect Yourself

If a number of employees are named in the same claim, your employer’s policy may not have adequate limits to protect you and your fellow employees.

Job Changes

If you’ve changed jobs and a claim is filed against you for actions while you were with your previous employer, your prior company’s policy may no longer cover you.

Lost Wages

Your employer’s policy may not cover your lost wages that accrue while you attend legal proceedings.

Coworker Suit

A fellow employee could submit a claim against you. Your company’s policy may exclude coverage for claims of one employee against another employee.

Having your own nurse practitioner insurance policy can help you feel more comfortable if a claim is filed against you. With your own policy, you'll have access to your own legal representation, and the resources of the policy aren't shared among multiple insureds.

How Much Does a Nurse Practitioner Insurance Policy Cost?

A Berxi medical malpractice policy for NPs starts at $496 per year. However, the price of your particular quote will depend on a few factors, including—but not limited to—your years of experience, education, state(s) in which you work, and time spent on the job.**

The best way to get an accurate idea of what your policy would cost is by filling out our quick online application to receive a quote. The process takes a minute or two, and—if you choose to purchase—your policy can go into effect any day you’d like, including today.

Medical Malpractice Coverage

If you work as an advanced practice or allied health medical professional, medical malpractice coverage insures you against claims of negligence or of making a mistake that caused bodily harm to another. This includes providing you with a lawyer to defend yourself and the funds you can use to pay judgments or settlements.*

AMOUNT COVERED: Typical limits of liability range from $500,000 per claim/$1 million aggregate to $2 million per claim/$6 million aggregate.

EXAMPLE: A patient sues you for medical malpractice, along with the entire team involved in their care. In this case, Berxi retains a lawyer for you and pays the lawyer’s fees.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Defense Counsel

If a claim is filed against you, we’ll retain a lawyer for you from our network of defense attorneys specializing in medical malpractice. We’ll also pay for related defense costs (e.g., lawyer fees, court fees, expert witness costs).

Note that these defense costs are outside the limits of your insurance. This means that their services don’t cut into the settlement fees you may need to pay after a ruling.*

EXAMPLE: You’re a self-employed NP, and you decide to select policy limits of $1 million (per claim)/$3 million (for all claims). One day, someone files a claim of malpractice against you. As part of your med mal policy, we’ll retain an attorney for you. This lawyer works specifically on your behalf and with your best interests in mind. Because this is your lawyer, you get to decide whether the case goes to trial or ends in a settlement. And you won’t need to worry about the bill at the end—the lawyer’s fees are included in your coverage and won’t impact how much of the $1 million you have for paying settlements.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Worldwide Coverage

Your policy applies on a worldwide basis, as long as a claim is brought against you in the United States (which includes any U.S. territories or possessions).*

EXAMPLE: You go to the Dominican Republic to volunteer as a nurse following a devastating hurricane. Upon your return, you find out that one of your Dominican patients has filed a claim of medical malpractice against you—and they filed it in the U.S.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Good Samaritan Coverage

If you provide medical care to someone outside of your primary work setting and that person files a claim against you, your policy would still apply.*

EXAMPLE: You’re at a restaurant and someone at the next table begins to choke. You rush over and immediately begin performing CPR. However, while saving this person’s life, you inadvertently break three of his ribs. Because you’re a certified medical expert, the patient sues you for his injury.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Information Privacy Coverage (HIPAA)

If a claim alleges that you violated privacy rules in connection with private health information, we provide you with access to counsel and will reimburse you for costs related to HIPAA proceedings—including relevant HIPAA fines.*

AMOUNT COVERED: $25,000 per policy period.

EXAMPLE: A patient’s records were released without his permission, and you’re listed as responsible for the mistake.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

License Protection

If you’re involved in a licensing board action or proceeding, our policy provides you with legal counsel.*

AMOUNT COVERED: $25,000 per policy period.

EXAMPLE: Your patient has a bad case of athlete’s foot, so you write a prescription for Lamisil. A couple of weeks later, you get a call from the patient saying that their condition has not gotten any better, and that their friend said you should have prescribed a different medication. The patient made a complaint to the local Medical Board regarding your care, and you just received a letter from them. You know that you did everything right, but you still want to have a lawyer by your side to guide you through the process with the Board.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Defendant Expense Benefit/Deposition Representation

If we ask you to attend litigation activities (e.g., a deposition), our policy will reimburse you for actual lost wages and any necessary expenses you incur (e.g., travel, meals).*

AMOUNT COVERED: Up to $1,000 per day.

EXAMPLE: We ask you to attend a deposition that requires you to take off a full day from work. Because you’re insured, we’ll reimburse you for your travel expenses, meals, and proven lost wages.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Reputation Coverage

If you face a threat to your professional reputation, we can provide you with a crisis management/public relations consultant to help clear your name.*

AMOUNT COVERED: $50,000 per claim.

EXAMPLE: You’ve been caring for an elderly hip replacement patient with dementia. One day, his children stop by to pay him a visit. When asked how he’s doing, the patient mentions that you haven’t checked in on him all day—even though you’d actually visited him twice. Outraged, they decide to bring a claim of negligence against you, alleging that you’ve failed to provide their father with care. On top of that, they undertake an aggressive campaign to publicize your alleged negligence via social media, warning people against getting care from you.

We will retain a crisis management firm to aid you in responding to the threats made to your professional reputation.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Business/General Liability Coverage

The policy applies if someone files a claim against you alleging that your premises or operations caused them bodily injury or harm.*

AMOUNT COVERED: $1 million occurrence/$1 million aggregate.

EXAMPLE: You run a small medical office in town and someone slips and falls on your property. You’re alleged to be liable for their injuries.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement Endorsement

If you’re audited by either Medicare or Medicaid, we offer reimbursement for related accountant or attorney costs that result from the investigation or defense of the audit proceedings.*

AMOUNT COVERED: $30,000 for a covered audit and related expenses.

EXAMPLE: Medicare is initiating an audit of your business. To help you prepare, your policy will retain an accountant for you, who will help you go over your financial statements. And, if necessary, you could use a lawyer to defend your best interests—all while you continue to work.

*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.

Where Can Berxi's Policy Cover Me?

Does a Berxi Policy Cover Nurse Practitioners Who Work in Different Locations?

Yes, we cover you if you work in different cities and states. On the application, simply select the state in which you primarily practice or do the majority of your work. Your Berxi policy follows you across all 50 states (and Washington D.C.), so work performed outside the state where you primarily practice will be covered under your policy.**

Does a Berxi Nurse Practitioner Insurance Policy Cover My Teaching?

Yes. Under your Berxi insurance policy, you’re covered for your part-time teaching at a community college/university or healthcare facility, while you practice as an NP.**

At Berxi, we're working to create a better insurance experience for nurse practitioners by offering affordable coverage and outstanding service. Here are a few things that set us apart:

Financial Stability: BHSI is part of Berkshire Hathaway’s National Indemnity group of insurance companies, consisting of National Indemnity and its affiliates, which hold financial strength ratings of A++ from AM Best and AA+ from Standard & Poor’s.

Industry-Leading Claims Support: With a nationwide network of experienced claims handlers, our team will be right there to help you navigate the process if a claim is ever filed against you.

Competitive Pricing: Buying direct from us can save customers as much as 20%–and, in some cases, even more.*

Simplified Experience: We’ve created a modern and intuitive digital insurance experience. You’ll get your policy documents as soon as you purchase, and you’ll be able to access your online account 24 / 7. We also aim to cut the jargon and talk to you like the smart, professional HUMAN that you are.

Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education (NPACE) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. NPACE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

NPACE is committed to providing continuing nursing education (CNE) programs that are high-quality and based on the best-available evidence. NPACE uses ANCC criteria to plan, implement and evaluate its programs. As an ANCC-accredited provider, NPACE adheres to standards that require all educational content to be balanced and free from bias, including in the presence of commercial support. NPACE identifies and resolves any actual or potential conflicts of interest among activity planners and faculty, and all relationships with commercial interests are disclosed to activity participants. For more information about ANCC Accreditation, please visit the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

NPACE CE credits are accepted by a number of certification organizations other than ANCC including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP).***

* “20% savings” is based on industry pricing averages.

** Quote and issuance of a policy are conditioned upon receipt and approval of the following 1) Practice Location; 2) Profession / Specialty; 3) Employment Status; 4) Coverage Type; 5) Hours Worked; and 6) Prior Claims Activity. Final pricing and terms of coverage may vary.